Monthly Archives: November 2011

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Things I Am Loving

Recent Workouts:

Sunday – 8 miles (ran 7, walked 1)

Tuesday – Yoga

Wednesday – 4 miles (run/walk) + yoga

 

Things I am loving right now…

Yoga

I have been doing a lot of yoga at home lately.  Since the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, my hamstrings and IT band have been horribly tight.  I’ve been trying to take it easy on the running since I have a super hilly half marathon this weekend (scared out of my mind) so I have been trying to do yoga in place of BodyPump. Sometimes I just love following the PDF Pose Guides from YogaDownload.com and listening to my own music.

Updated Gym Membership

My gym offered a new membership where you can bring a guest anytime and they can even go to classes! I think this is great and I will definitely be trying to recruit a few of my friends to BodyPump. I’m also excited for my friend Andrea to visit over Christmas so she can force me to go to my first Zumba class and she can try pump :)

Foam Roller

Sorry for the old summer picture, but the passion for my foam roller is still just as strong.  I’ll forget to foam roll for a few weeks and then get back on it and remember why it is so amazing.  It has really helped my tight IT band and hamstrings this past week.  I’m hoping that by getting on it a few times a day until the race this weekend will really help me out and prevent injuries.

Yogi Tea

No, really. Why is this tea so good?? There are about a million different flavors of Yogi tea (I discovered my Yogi tea passion from Jen @ Peanut Butter Runner). I’ve tried the Chai Black, Green Tea Kombucha and others and they are always great.  I’m trying to cut back on coffee during the week and drink hot tea when I am cold and need to warm up!

Reading

I can’t help it. I’m reading it for the third time and I love it. After seeing the movie twice when it came out last week I had to re-read it again.  I really need to read The Hunger Games before the movie comes out in the spring! I will start up my last grad class this January-April and I won’t have much down time to read.

Claritin

After running the Hershey Half Marathon with a sinus infection, my doctor told me I probably had allergies and that is why I kept getting sick over and over.  She told me to start taking Claritin and it has been wonderful ever since.  After a week or so I felt a million times better and I can definitely notice when I go a few days without it. Why did it take me so long to realize sinus infections all the time were from allergies??

Running Faster

Sometimes I forget I have only been running since the Summer/Fall of 2009. When I first started running, it was a challenge to hold a 10:00 min/mile pace for a short period of time.  As I ran more, I started to be able to run in the 9:30-10:00 min/mile range (last fall) and was SO happy.  Even though I had a few disappointing races this past fall, I have been able to get my shorter distances in the 8′s and that is so great for me.  Even the first 8 miles of the Hershey Half Marathon this past fall were all around 9:20, which is way faster than my first half marathon (Pittsburgh May 2010) that was an 10:13 pace overall.  After killing myself at the Turkey Trot I later realized I was running around a 7:50 pace for half a mile to make up for the crowds and tried to hold onto a 8:20 pace overall.  Even though I fell apart and walked, that was huge for me.  I’m excited to push myself with shorter/faster distances once this half marathon is over this weekend.

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Turkey Day and 5k

 

Another 5k and no PR this time. I was feeling extra confident from the 5k we did last Sunday and thought I could really go for it.

 

 

My friend Amy and I decided to run the Turkey Trot together Thursday morning with a secret goal of 25:50 (8:20 pace).  After the 5k I did last Sunday, I thought I could push the pace a lot and get into the 25′s. I haven’t done any 5k races for almost two years so I was ready to lower my time. The 5k on Sunday had a huge steep hill at the very end that I walked but I wasn’t that tired earlier in the race running around an 8:30-8:40 pace. This made me think that I could go faster on Thanksgiving and it backfired. Amy doesn’t have a Garmin and I told her I would keep us at 8:20 as much as possible. I didn’t realize that when you are huffing and puffing running a 5k faster than you probably should you can’t really talk and tell your running partner you’ve lost it. There were so many people at the start of the race (3,500 runners) so we started off slow because of the crowd. I tried to pick it back up to get to our goal pace. We hit mile 1 at 8:21 and I thought now I could calm down and just keep the pace right at 8:20 without so many people around to push through. I didn’t realize that we had picked the pace up to about a 7:50 in order to get mile 1 to 8:21. Not a great idea for me. Soon after mile 1 there was a hill I wasn’t expecting and I was already exhausted. Amy took off like a champ and I started to fall behind.

 

After mile 1.5 I could see Amy in the distance and I started to walk because I felt like I was near death. I picked it back up to a 8:40-8:50 pace after walking a minute and ended up walking again after mile 2 for another minute. That earlier pace just did me in and I couldn’t recover. At the end I felt horrible and sat on the sidewalk for a couple minutes but I wasn’t upset. It just wasn’t my day and apparently I am a horrible pacer ;)

Amy killed it and held on until the end and finished 25:38!!! It definitely was her day and she was all smiles :)   I can’t wait for her to sign up for the local spring marathon with me this year so we can train together (hint, hint!).

 

After the race Colby and I ate two Thanksgiving dinners! We started with a great meal at his family’s house, digested and then got to my parent’s house.  I really piled on my Mom’s sweet potatoes (Barefoot Contessa recipe) and stuffing that was nice and crispy from cooking in muffin tins.

 

I really over-did it with the huge plate, but why not? I waited a few minutes then squeezed some pumpkin pie in for the night.

 

Colby still looking nice after our second dinner with his big plate of turkey.

 

And… me.  Happy to be eating more food and in a t-shirt and sweatpants.  As soon as I got to my parent’s I made more room for food and got out of my jeans and sweater.  It was worth it :)

 

No Black Friday shopping for me. The only thing I did was download a new YogaDownload workout I’ve been waiting to get until there was a holiday sale. This Black Friday 40% off sale is good on all their videos/mp3s and lasts until Monday night.  I’ve been waiting to try out their new Ashtanga Primary Series Lite 60 minute class until there was a sale and I tried it out yesterday to try to heal my sore muscles. I was actually really sore from the 5k. I ended up finishing it with some ab work and push-ups/ tricep dips because I haven’t been able to get to a BodyPump class in a week. I’m feeling it today and waiting until it warms up in the next hour to go out for my 10-miler! I keep forgetting I have another half-marathon next weekend! Yikes!

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Last Weekend-Movies and 5k

Thursday (Nov. 17): 2.5 mile run/walk on TM (Mile 1-walk/run 6.0-6.1 mph in 12 min), (Mile 2-run 6.5-7.5 mph 8:25 min) (Mile 2.5- walk/cool down)

Friday/Saturday: off

Sunday (Nov. 20): Turkey Trot 5k

 

Last weekend I…

 

Saw Breaking Dawn at midnight Friday morning and went to school exhausted. It was worth it because I saw it again on Saturday. I know, I’m an obsessed 14-year old Twilight freak.  Colby’s sister was supposed to go with me to see it at midnight but couldn’t at the last minute. I just had to take her Saturday so she could see it :)   Also, really into the movie soundtrack and added a few tracks to my running playlist.

 

PR-ed at a 5k on Sunday! I haven’t done a 5k in almost 2 years so I was really expecting to PR.  This Turkey Trot was at Colby’s old college and had a huge hill at the very end. I knew it was coming the whole time and held back a bit. I was really happy to feel so good during most of it and walked at the very end when it got extremely steep.

 

The elevation chart doesn’t look that steep at the end but you can see where I walked for about 30 seconds near the end. I am running a local Turkey Trot tomorrow morning and I am hoping to PR again. I actually have high expectations for myself and my friend Amy because we have a secret goal time we are aiming for! Hopefully we push ourselves enough and get it! I know I am capable of running this time but can I push myself to be that uncomfortable for 3 miles?

 

 

Colby caught me huffing and puffing up the rest of the big hill at the 5k on Sunday.  I told him if he wasn’t standing there taking pictures of me I would have probably walked again!

 

Finishing up the race by the track. I promise I will wear a different shirt for my next race. I’ve been wearing the same long-sleeved baggy cotton orange race t shirt over and over in the cooler weather. I need to update, I know… but it is just so comfortable!

 

Colby won 4th place overall at the 5k because he is just so darn fast :)

Running a Turkey Trot tomorrow?? Happy Thanksgiving!

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Yogi

Tuesday Workout: 3 mile run on treadmill (around 29 min) and BodyPump

Wednesday Workout: 20 minute yoga (Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga #3 from YogaDownload)

I started the day with a cup of this chai tea with some almond milk and stevia.  It was a nice change from coffee! I like coffee, but I don’t drink it every single day.  Usually I drink it if I am feeling especially tired on a weekday and on weekends.  Since the weather is cooler in the mornings, I have been in the mood for warm drinks and really enjoyed this chai tea I picked up at the grocery store yesterday.

I did this Gentle Hatha Flow #1 20 minute workout on Monday to make my sore back and legs feel better.  It was slow and gentle just like it claimed and I felt better instantly.  Tonight I have a new yogadownload 20 minute video to try out…

Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga #3

I was hoping to run after school today, but it rained all day.  I didn’t want to get on the treadmill two days in a row, so I’m going to try to run tomorrow before I go to the moviesssss! I’m going to try to take a nap and sleep for as long as I can stay asleep before Breaking Dawn at midnight ;)

One of my violin students showed me this video yesterday and I can’t stop listening to it. This is the new Bruno Mars song that is on the Breaking Dawn soundtrack. This guy is so good!

Another violin cover that is amazing. I’m in love with the new Coldplay album :)

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Tension

Monday Workout: Gentle Hatha Yoga 1 (20 minutes)

 

:) Pink Runner loves getting pink flowers! I won these yesterday at the bridal show I went to with my Mom.  It was actually at the wedding venue Colby and I are getting married at next October and it was nice to see it again.  It was a small wedding venue, which was very nice.  I went to a big one a few months ago and it was crowded and overwhelming. The pink flowers I won yesterday in a drawing were actually from the flower shop we are using for our wedding.

 

Colby and I went to our favorite burrito place yesterday night and it was amazing.  I chanced it and went for the cheese and had minimal stomach pain.  It was worth it because it was delicious. I get the burrito that is actually grilled into a quesadilla and it has potatoes in it instead of meat! Crazy good.

 

I’ve been playing this thing way too much at school with the little kids (old wedding picture) and my upper back is killing me.  Playing along with my kids at school makes such a difference, but I end up forgetting that I am playing for hours and hours a day. (About 7 hours today including lessons after school)

 

 

I am going to hit up a new yogadownload 20 minute workout tonight before bed. I’ve never done the Gentle Hatha Yoga #1 yet, but I thought the poses from the pose guide looked good for my upper back tension and sore legs. This is an audio only workout, but having the pose guide helps me stay on track.

 

I’ll also be re-reading the first half of this book before Thursday night this week.  (I think I’ve already read it 2 times before) I ordered the midnight tickets and will be standing in line to get into the theater with all the 13 year old girls.  :)

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8 Miler

 

Sunday Workout: 8 miles (1:16:42)

 

I wanted to run my 8 or 9 yesterday, but was so sore from BodyPump and running on Thursday I had to wait. I’m glad I did because I feel so much better today.  Still very sore but I was able to run 8 miles without a problem.  I haven’t been running much and still had dead legs so I decided to go easy.  As soon as I started running my plan changed. I decided to try to hold a 9:40 or under pace as much as possible and let myself stop my garmin and walk when I needed it.  I ended up stopping my garmin just a few times for probably a 30 sec-1 min walk every once in awhile to loosen up my legs. I was happy I could hold the pace and get faster near the end. The elevation also helped with that…

 

I was inspired by Sarah @ Once Upon a (L)ime for my running hair style this morning.  I always love when she braids her hair and was inspired by her sub-4 marathon! I hope that is me someday!!

 

I promise I’ll get a new race long-sleeved tshirt to run in soon so I can take a break from this ugly orange one. I actually really love this one because it is a little big and comfortable… but I know I have been wearing it all the time lately.

 

Colby ran 9 miles this morning and finished way ahead of me :) Now I am off to a wedding show with my Mom. It is actually at the venue we are getting married at next October so it will be nice to see it again and take more pictures for ideas!

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Slacking

So I think I have been slacking and I worry I lost everything I gained from working out so hard June-October! (I know I haven’t but it feels that way!) I’ve had so much going on that I’ve really backed off on my running and I am just trying to stay injury-free and enjoy the break.  I haven’t really been blogging that much lately because I haven’t been working out much! Funny how there really isn’t anything to write about when you have a running blog and you haven’t been running!

I did run with my friend Amy on Thursday after school and then we went to BodyPump.

Note to self: Don’t take off weeks from running and expect it to feel normal. Also, don’t do two back-to-back workouts and think you will be able to walk the next day.

 

Amy and I usually talk a lot during our runs and it doesn’t feel too hard. I was huffing and puffing during the whole thing and she was just running and talking with no problem at all! It was a rainy day but we decided to tough it out and go outside and avoid the treadmill.  I didn’t want my only mid-week run to be on the flat treadmill, so I was happy to get a little elevation.

 

As you can see, my pace was all over the place. I would look down at the Garmin and see we were doing a 9:10 pace and then later it would be over 10:15.  I have a 5k coming up on Thanksgiving day and a half marathon on the first weekend of December.  I really hope I can just enjoy both and not hurt myself on the half marathon.  It is so hilly and I’m hoping I can just keep my heartrate up enough and avoid walking so I don’t freeze! Last year it was about 15 degrees on race day!

After our 3 mile run on Thursday (I was already tired) we drove to the gym for some BodyPump.  I thought I took it fairly easy on myself, but that class kills me when I haven’t gone in a while! I think I was enjoying it the most when I went to 2 classes a week and I didn’t get so sore. I felt a little sore the next day but I am REALLY feeling it today! I was going to run my 8 or 9 long miler today (which I know is stupid because I haven’t done any mid-weeks) but I could barely get out of bed! My thighs feel like they weigh a 1000 lbs and there was no way I was running.  I need to step up my game and get back into a routine! Hoping to feel good tomorrow morning and go for the long run!

Amy said she was going to BodyPump this morning and I was jealous! Later I find out she came home from Pump and ran 6 miles at a 9:40 pace! Her husband and daughter ran 10 to get ready for the half marathon I am also running in December.  I’m starting to feel the pressure! :)

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Running Again

Sunday workout: 6 miles (1:01:08)

 

 

This was my first run in 2 weeks!! AHH! I really wasn’t looking forward to it Sunday morning, but as soon as I got started it felt great.  Don’t get me wrong, I was breathing heavy, my legs felt sluggish and my hips/calves got sore but I was happy to run.  I was originally going to run 8 that day, but Colby talked me into going down to 6.  After taking two weeks off because I’ve been so busy, I better be careful!

 

I went out with running slow and walking on my mind.  I tried not to look at my Garmin and just go slow and enjoy it.  I actually started off feeling extremely comfortable and did 9:36 for my first mile. Mile 2-3 are uphill so I slowed down a bit and walked during mile 4 and 6.  It was refreshing to slow down my pace and enjoy running without expectations.  I’m hoping to ease back into my short half marathon training plan this week by running Tues/Thurs and hopefully fit in some BodyPump as well!

My friend Amy asked me to post the package to the Falafel chickpea balls I’ve been taking to school for lunch sometimes.  I usually heat them up in the microwave (they are in the cold organic/dairy-free/kombucha/my favorite section of the local grocery store).  I usually put them in a pita with some salad or sometimes in pasta (kinda like meatballs).  They are a nice change up for packed lunches and I like to treat myself to them once in awhile :)

 

I was cold and in the mood for soup this past weekend after looking at my new Runner’s World.  There were a few soup recipes that caught my eye and I ended up looking at the Lentil and Black Bean soup. I ended up adding mushrooms and red peppers and substituted lentils (I didn’t have any) for these Lebanese Couscous that I got from Williams Sonoma.  The bag seems to last a while and they kinda taste like small pasta pieces but have more protein and fiber. They really worked well in the soup and I had a lot of leftovers to eat for lunch the next two days.

 

This is the recipe from Runner’s World that uses lentils.

Just a side note…

Yes, I’m like a 13 year old and I love Twilight.  I forgot that the Breaking Dawn soundtrack comes out November 8!! I might stay up til midnight just to listen to it.  I have loved all of the Twilight Soundtracks … they are actually very good! My absolute favorite was New Moon because there are so many great artists that are not “main-stream”.  I’m hoping the new soundtrack is just as good!

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Yoga Calms Me Down

Workouts: NONE… Okay a little yoga but nothing else…
Colby and I have been very busy with some upcoming plans and I am exhausted. I haven’t been able to run at all this week and took last weekend off because of the snow storm!! I had the option of getting on the treadmill each night but I was just too tired.  Thinking about running while I’m tired and stressed just makes me not want to run at all. I haven’t been able to go to BodyPump this week either :(

What workouts do you do when you are tired/stressed? Do you skip your runs or fit them in when you are tired?

 

I’m not too worried about the running. Maybe I just needed a break this week and hopefully it won’t be too awful when I start it back up this weekend.  The only thing I could get myself to do late at night has been yoga.  Tonight, I am planning on doing the 20 minute Core Yoga #1 on YogaDownload.com. I really like this one and have it downloaded onto my computer.  I love the YogaDownload workouts that are slide shows.  I feel like I can concentrate more when I’m not watching a video, but the pictures go along with the audio to make sure I am doing the right poses.

 

I also like looking at the pose guide ahead of time so I know what to expect. (Below is the first page of the 20 minute core yoga class)  Sometimes I will just use the pose guide and go through the class on my own.

 

 

Off to do this class, shower and go to bed! I’ve been trying to sleep at least 8 hours a night. Sorry for such a boring post! I’ve been trying not to post if I don’t really have anything to say. Without running and workouts there isn’t much to say right now! I’ll have to wait on the big news :)